Sometimes a film may seem simple on the surface,
but then you dig a little deeper
and you find that behind the facade is something more profound.
Today, we're going to break down a movie that might be one of the most layered
and complex movies of all time.
"Jingle All The Way."
"- Where's your Christmas spirit?"
On the surface, it's the story of a man looking to buy
his son's favorite action figure for Christmas.
"- I want the Turbo Man action figure with the arms and legs that move...
- I asked you to pick one up two weeks ago.
- Oh.
That doll. Of course."
But underneath it is a complete deconstruction of the capitalist machine.
"- We are being set up by rich and powerful toy cartels.
- Oh, come on.
- You got these big fat cats sit there using working class just like me and you.
Let's look at our first example of holiday symbolism
represented through blocking, staging, and framing.
Howard's existential quest for the Turbo Man action figure
has led him to a warehouse
where Santa's sell counterfeit toys.
We start with an extreme wide-shot.
The complex blocking actually forms a Christmas tree.
In the center is the main character, Howard.
These elements combine to clearly communicate
Howard is the soul of Christmas.
Howard must battle the dark forces of consumerism.
And what weapon is Howard forced to use against his enemies?
A giant candy cane.
The red and white representing the dualism of good versus evil,
or perhaps naughty versus nice.
When Mega-Santa steps into the frame
the camera tilts up
from an extreme low angle.
Again, the symbolism here is so subtle.
The giant vicious monster
that Christmas has become overwhelms the every man.
Let's move into another scene that is bursting with symbolism.
The radio station standoff scene with Myron.
"- Back up! This is a homemade explosive device!"
An alcoholic mailman played by Sinbad.
Here Myron is surrounded by the cops
and fence them off with a Christmas present bomb.
From a tactical standpoint, this is a ridiculous way for the police
to surround a suspect, as they would ultimately
just shoot each other in the crossfire.
So why did the director Brian Levant
decide to stage the scene this way?
Look at the shape of the surrounding police.
A positions form a perfect Christmas present.
Howard and Myron at the top a court in an eternal struggle against each other.
The symbol for eternity is the Egyptian ankh,
or similarly the sign for infinity.
We combine these symbols but that isn't enough
since the characters have had their whole world turned upside down,
we must then invert these shapes
and in doing so
we get on top of the Christmas present a perfect bow.
But this isn't where the mastery and mind games end.
"- Howard, excuse me, but your wife's cookies are out of this world.
- Who told you can eat my cookies."
In this scene Ted
the invasive neighbor...
"- Where you off to so early?
Christmas comes but once a year.
- Hi, Liz. - Oh, hi, Ted."
Supplants Howard as his family's new patriarch.
"- Ted, I need to speak to my wife..."
When Ted talks about checking on Liz in the shower.
"- I think she's in the shower, Howard.
Do you want me to go check?
- No!
I mean no, that's fine."
The shot size on Howard changes.
We're now in a close-up
signaling that this moment is somehow more important than the others.
"- On your way out, just tell her I will be a few minutes late...
but she shouldn't worry.
- Oh, she won't worry. I mean, I'm here, and—
Mmm! Oh, these cookies! I got to get the recipe from Liz."
Notice what Ted does to the holiday cookie.
He has bitten off the head.
The cookie, of course, represents Howard,
but more acutely the missing head represents Howard's mental state.
"- Put that cookie down! Now!"
The director Brian Levant
is careful to not give away the sophisticated controlling idea
that lies beneath the surface of this avant-garde work of art.
"- That son of a—"
Let's recap.
The next time you create a long-lasting and profound holiday movie,
make sure to build thematic holiday symbols
with your blocking and staging.
Use props to signal the downfall of society's relationship with Christmas.
"- This is a sick world we're living in. Sick people!"
And choose shots and dialogue
that touch on large concepts like mental health.
"- Put that cookie down. Now!"
What are some other easter eggs in "Jingle All the Way"?
"- You're an amazing man, Ted.
- We should get together and swap recipe."
Which complex and profound messages did we fail to touch on?
"- Well, that didn't exactly go as well as I'd hoped."
Let us know in the comments.
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"- Here's to you, Dad."
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Happy holidays from StudioBinder.